In South Africa at the moment there are protests breaking out in all the major universities for free education.

This all started last year, when our government informed the current students of an increase of the already high university fees. Universities were shut down after the students began to protest and vandalism insued

2015 Student protests

The students are fighting for free education for the poorer and middle class students that earn below a certain bracket.

The average house hold in South Africa earns R17422

And that is the average, there are a lot poorer earning families that would also like the opportunity to an education (as that is a basic right)

Below are the prices of University fee's

I have chosen a few subjects as they differ in prices ofcourse

Bachelors of Arts or Social Science (BA or BSocSc)

Accounting (BCom Accounting)

Bachelors of Laws (LLB or BLaws)

Medicine

As seen above, the main universities( the ones that are protesting) are the Universities of Witwatersrand, Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Rhodes are heavily over priced. Sitting Between R 45 000 - R 60 000 per year.

So everything calmed down last year after the government agreed to a 0% increase.

Until a few days ago, the education minister said

The minister said that fee increases would be determined by university councils, and recommended that they not go over 8%. As part of government’s plan to help poor students, all fee increases for students on the NSFAS – and those in the so-called ‘missing middle’ – would be covered by taxpayers.
Students have rejected this proposal, saying they want free education for all – echoing the same call from 2015.
According to student representatives, the protesters are following the same process as last year, by barricading the entrances of the university and stopping cars from entering.

And now we are here.

Protesting has began, Violent protests I may add.

The students and other members have began to demonstrate and also vandalize the universities.

https://twitter.com/zayd_dendar/status/777910250594861056/photo/1

Which of course is met with police resistance.

JOHANNESBURG - After violent running battles between protesting students and private security guards, it appears protesters have now been allowed to occupy the Great Hall at Wits University.
Earlier this afternoon, students and campus security clashed near the Great Hall.
As protesting students flung stones and rocks at campus security, they retaliated with stun grenades.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think our students should be given free education? and should their be consequences of their violent protests and vandalism?

Follow me @warrensteem

http://ewn.co.za/2016/09/20/Wits-students-abandon-march-to-Hillbrow-police-station
http://businesstech.co.za/news/general/137331/fees-must-fall-2016-protests-hit-boiling-point-in-joburg/
http://ewn.co.za/2016/09/19/Wits-student-leaders-call-for-campus-shutdown
http://www.parent24.com/Learn/Tertiary-education/how-much-does-a-first-year-at-university-cost-20160317
https://africacheck.org/reports/how-much-will-it-cost-to-go-to-a-south-african-university-in-2016/